Title:
Alabama Sentencing Commission Website

Description:
Pursuant to the Judicial Study Commission’s recommendations, the Alabama Legislature passed Act 2000-596, effective May 17, 2000, creating a permanent Sentencing Commission as a separate state agency under the Alabama Supreme Court. The enabling legislation for the Alabama Sentencing Commission enumerates the Commission’s responsibilities to: (1) “serve as a clearinghouse for the collection, preparation, and dissemination of information on sentencing practices;” (2) “make recommendations to the Governor, Legislature, Attorney General, and Judicial Study Commission concerning the enactment of laws relating to criminal offenses, sentencing, and correctional and probation matters,” and (3) “review the overcrowding problem in county jails, with particular emphasis on funding for the county jails and the proper removal of state prisoners from county jails pursuant to state law and state and federal court orders, and to make recommendations for resolution of these issues to the Governor, Legislature, Attorney General, and the Judicial System Study Commission

Title:
Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission Website

Description:
The Alabama Constitution establishes the Judicial Inquiry Commission to consider, investigate and prosecute complaints of ethical misconduct and disability involving Alabama judges. Like the judicial conduct organizations in every other state, the Commission's purpose is to ensure observance of the high standards of conduct that have been set for judges, both on and off the bench.
The Commission prosecutes charges in the Court of the Judiciary when it finds reasonable basis to do so after investigation. The Commission also provides advisory opinions to judges as to whether contemplated conduct might constitute a violation of the Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics.